Logging-car bunk.



T. H. MAOLAPFBRTY.

LOGGING GAR BUNK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9, 1912. RENEWED JULY 15, 1913. 1,087,31 1

Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

Attorneys TAYLOR H. ivrwrnrrnnrm or 'TENINO, WASHINGTON.

LOGGING-CAR BUNK.

Application filed November 9 1912, Seria1 No. 730,449.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914. Renewed July 15, 1913. Serial No. 779,220.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TAYLORH. MAGLAF- rnnrr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tenino, in the county of Thurston and State of Vashington, have invented a new and useful Logging-Car Bunk, of which the following is a specification.

i The present invention appertains to bunks for logging cars, and aims to provide a bunk so constructed that the shock due to logs falling thereon will be absorbed thereby and will not be transmitted to the car proper.

It is the usual practice to provide bunks constructed of channel iron, I-beams, or the like, and in fastening them direct to the logging car, the bunks being provided with chocks at their ends for maintaining the logs thereon. It has been found that when the chocks have been released topermit the logs to roll from the car, or from the bunks, the upper log will not unfrequently drop onto the bunks before rolling off, so as to jar the car, which frequently results in breaking the arch bars or other parts of the car. Thus,

- according to present practice, the strain due to the upper logs dropping onto the bunks causes the bolster and arch bars of the car to receive the jar before the jaris taken up by the springs of the running gear, so that the said springs are of no avail in this respect. This breaking of the car equipment, together wit-h .other injuries, has been removed by the provision of the present bunk, which inits essentials embodies a log carrying member yieldably supported so as to relieve the car from any injurious jars due to the falling of the logs thereon when unloading.

The present invention also resides in other details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter specitied and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1 The preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein corresponding parts have been indicated by similar reference characters, and wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the present bunk. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, Figs. 3 and t are sectional views taken on the line 3-3 and M of Fig. 1, respectively. Fig, 5

is a sectional detail of a variation of the log carrying member.

Referring specifically to the drawing, the numeral 7 designates generally, the base of the present bunk, which comprises a plank or other timber 8 and a metallic face plate or shallow channel 9 placed thereon. Above the base there is arranged the log carrying member 10, which is constructed of an I-beam, the-lengths of the base and the log carrying member being determined or governed by the width of the car to which they are applied, it being understood that the bunks are arranged transversely of the car.

It is upon the I-beam 10 that the logs lay,

the upper edges of the flanges serving to embed or engage the logs to prevent the log from sliding, particularly when the car is employed on steep grades. When the car is used on ordinary grades, the upper channel of the I-beam may be filled with a timber 10% as designated in Fig. 5, so as to present a smooth upper surface on which the logs may rest. The use of either form, however,

is overned by the circumstances, so that either an open channel or a filled one may be employed with the same facility.

The log carrying member or I-beam 10 is yieldably supported above the base by means of a plurality of coiled springs 12 disposed therebetween, these springs being illustrated as constituting three groups or clusters of four springs each, one cluster being arranged at each end and one at an intermediate point. The number, arrangement, and the styles of the springs, however, are of no particular moment and may be altered or varied at will according to the requirements or service necessary. These springs are maintained in position by means of the heads 13 engaging in the ends thereof, the heads being secured to the base and log carrying members by means of projections 14 which are riveted through the base plate 9 and the web of the I-beam 10.

The log carrying member is constrained for parallel motion relative to the base, so as to prevent the same from being displaced laterally or end wise due to the conditions to which it is subjected, this being accomplished by riveting a plurality of bars 15 to the flanges of the I-beam, or to the edges of the log carrying member, which bars depend and work through openings 16 provided in plates 17 secured to the face plate. These plates 17 are of elongated form and are arranged transversely of the base, the same being disposed between the timber 8 and the face plate 9 so that their ends project beyond the edges of the base with the openings along the edges of the base. The plates 17 therefore form guides for the bars 15, and it will thus appear that the log carrying member is constrained from being displaced end wise or laterally, but is permitted to reciprocate vertically as the pressure given to bear thereon is increased or diminished. The log carrying member is also limited in its upward movement, or in its separation from the base, so as to retain the log carrying member in place or in operative position, this being accomplished by means of bolts 18 passed through the face plate 9 and pass ing loosely through the web of the I-beam 10 with the nuts 19 engaged on their upper ends above the web of the I-beam. The heads of the bolts 18 are embedded in the timber 8 so that the bolts are held rigid with the base. These bolts therefore permit the I-beam to move downwardly thereon, the I-beam being limited in its upward movement, however, by the nuts 19 which may be adjusted so that the springs 12 are normally under tension when the log carrying member is at its uppermost position.

The log carrying member or I-beam 10 is of such design that any customary car stake or log chock may be attached to each end thereof, as indicated by the numeral 21, and in this connection it is the object to permit of the employment of the car stakes or 10 chocks disclosed in Patents Nos. 926,203, 934:,684, and 944,739 issued to me on June 29, 1909, September 21, 1909, and December 28, 1909, respectively. It will be evident that either form of the car stake or log chock may be employed with equal propriety or that other forms of variations thereof may be utilized in connection wit-h the present bunk.

In practice, the present bunk is secured to the car, which may be either a fiat or skeleton car, by means of bolts 20 or other securing members passed through the base and through the body or frame of the car. The timber bottom 8 of the base has been provided chiefly to provide a smooth lower surface for the bunk so that it may be secured to the car in an easy and convenient manner, the upper surface of the timber being cut away to accommodate the heads of the bolts 18 and the plates 17. The logs may then be rolled or otherwise placed upon the bunks, it being understood that a plurality of bunks, are employed with each car, the logs being piled or built up upon the bunks, as usual. The springs 12 are of sufficient aggregate tension to properly support the logs resting upon the bunks. the said springs yielding slightly under the weight of the logs, and thus assisting the springs of the trucks or running gear in taking up the jars as the car traverses the tracks. The logs are maintained upon the bunks by means of chocks attached to the ends thereof, as is customary, and when unloading, it is the custom to remove or so manipulate the chocks on one side that the logs are free to roll off of the car or bunks. Should any of the upper logs drop onto the bunks prior to rolling off the car, the jar or strain caused thereby will be absorbed by the springs which yieldingly support the log carrying member and the strain or jar will thus be prevented from breaking or injuring the car bolsters or arch bar, which might otherwise ensue with the ordinary construction of bunks. This feature will be made more manifest when it is understood that sometimes the logs carried by the bunks reach a diameter of six or seven feet or greater, so that only three logs can be carried in a pile upon the bunks. Should the upper log, therefore, drop onto the bunks, it would ordinarily transmit a considerable jar to the bolsters and arch bars of the car, but with the present construction of bunks, this transmission of the jar to the bolster and arch bars is eliminated, or is taken up and absorbed by the springs supporting the log carrying member.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the drawing, the advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those versed in the art, and it will also be manifest that the objects aimed at have been carried out in a satisfactory manner. It is also to be understood, that the construction, proportions and arrangements of the various details, as well as the materials employed, may be altered within the latitude of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing from the benefits derived.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. In combination with a car body, a logging car bunk embodying a base secured on the car body and a log carrying member yieldably supported by the base so as to absorb the shocks due to the logs falling thereon.

2. In combination with a car body, a logging car bunk embodying a base, secured on the car body, a superimposed log carrying member, and compression springs disposed between the base and log carrying member to yieldably support the latter so as to absorb the shocks due to logs falling thereon.

3. A logging car bunk embodying a base, a superimposed log carrying member, means for constraining the latter for parallel motion relative to the former, and compression springs disposed between the base and log carrying member to yieldably support the latter.

4:. A logging car bunk embodying a base, a superimposed log carrying member, guides secured to one member, members secured to the other member and working in the guides for constraining the log carrying member for parallel motion relative to the base, and compression springs disposed between the base and log carryinginember to yieldably support the latter.

5. A logging car bunk embodying a base, a superimposed log carrying member, one member having guides along its edges, members secured to the edges of the other member and working in the guides for constraining the log carrying member for parallel motion relative to the base, and means for yieldably supporting the log carrying member from the base.

6. A logging car bunk embodying a base, a superimposed log carrying member, compression springs disposed between the base and log carrying member to yieldably support the latter, and members loosely connecting the base and log carrying member to limit the separation of same and normally maintaining the springs under compression.

7 A logging car bunk embodying a base, a superimposed log carrying member, means for constraining the log carrying member for parallel motion relative to the base, a plurality of coiled springs disposed between the base and the log carrying member, and means for limiting the separation of the member from the base for normally holding the springs under tension.

8. A log carrying bunk embodying a base constituting a timber and a metallic face plate thereon, a superimposed log carrying member constructed of an I-beam, plates disposed transversely between the timber and face plate and having openings in their ends along the edges of the base, bars secured to the flanges of the Lbea-m and working through the openings in the said plates, a plurality of coiled springs disposed be tween the face plate and the I-beam, members secured to the face plate and I-beam and engaging the ends 01": the springs to maintain them into position, and bolts passing through the face plate and passing loosely through the I-beam to limit the separation of the I-beam from the base.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

TAYLOR I-I. MAOLAFFERTY. Witnesses:

H. E. STONE, ISAAC BLUMAUER.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

